Ukrainian drones hit Russian explosives, fiber optic factories near Moscow

Ukrainian deep-strike drones hit Russian fiber-optic and explosives factories on the night of April 4.

The strikes targeted factories in Samara and Mordovia oblasts. A source with the Ukrainian State Security Service (SBU) confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that they were behind at least the strikes in Samara Oblast.

"SBU strike drones attacked 'Promsintez' in Chapayevsk, in Samara Oblast. The factory is one of the leading manufacturers of explosives in the Russian Federation and the Commonwealth of Independent States," writes a source in the SBU, who said their drones hit the factory 20 times. "As a result, the leadership of the factory have stopped their technological processes."

Footage from local media show attacks on Saransk in Moravia Oblast the same night. One local source identified the building hit as a factory belonging to a company called "Fiber Optic Systems."

Russian investigative outlet Insider identifies Fiber Optic Systems  as the main producer of optical fiber in Russia. Fiber-optic drones are resistant to electronic warfare interference. Russia's mass production of such drones has greatly enhanced the offensive power of the Russian military, most notably in their recent recapture of territory in Kursk Oblast.

Insider similarly identified Fiber Optic Systems as a remarkably effective link in the chain providing Russia with foreign-derived components for its war machine.

The governors of both oblasts announced no casualties as a result of the strikes.

Of the Promsintez strike, the SBU source said in a statement, "the SBU is continuing to work precisely through Russian businesses, that are part of the military-industrial complex and produce weapons for the war against Ukraine. Such objects are absolutely legal military targets."

Ukraine has invested heavily in its long-range strike drone programs, as well as more traditional missiles, in an effort to reach Russian infrastructure far from the front.

Russia, meanwhile, uses its much larger arsenal of ballistic missiles to strike civilian targets throughout Ukraine. One such strike hit a playground in Kryvyi Rih earlier today, killing 19, including 9 children.

Inside Ukraine’s desperate race to train more soldiers

New recruit Vitalii Yalovyi knew one thing after completing the Ukrainian military’s boot camp: He was not prepared for war. The 37-year-old felt physically unfit, forcing him to miss some courses during the month-long training. His leg was still hurting from long daily walks at a training center i…

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima